The Darkest Night: Heart of a Shinigami Prologue
by LRyukluvrLighthater1
Summary: What happens when a ghost of the past drops in on Night, a 2000 year old half human, half Shinigami? and how much will it hurt when she finds herself falling in love with a guy she knows she can't have? read my story to find out! PLEASE?
1. Prologue

The Darkest Night: Heart of a Shinigami

Prologue

Before the death, before L, before Kira; there was me. I guess you'd expect some sort of cliché beginning about who I am and how I was born on a dark and stormy night in a freakish hospital with no electricity and that my mom died in childbirth, leaving me to be raised in an awful orphanage. On the contrary, my mother raised me until I was 18, I wasn't born in a hospital, and it was bright and sunny when I was. Although, I should say there wasn't any electricity the entire time I was growing up anyway.

My name is Night. I don't really remember my last name. Never had one, as a matter of fact. When I was born, there weren't really many cases where people had genuine last names. Where would I be born to not have a last name or electricity? Wrong question. Why don't you rephrase it and ask: When was I born? Well, all those questions will be answered in time, hopefully. Right now, all you need to know is that I am much older than you are, Death Gods do exist, and that I…I am a mistake. I was not created directly from the Shinigami King. I am a shinigami.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

November 28, 2003

"And so, to obtain the value of 'X' you simply multiply 'Y' by the variable and…"

God, is there no end do his droning? We've gone over this 15 times already! Enough! I thought. This life had gone on too long for me. It was becoming tedious and boring, as this world was. I knew everything this man had to teach, and more. I turned my head to stare out the window. I'd have to fix that job application later. Good pay for that waitress job, since I quit the last one because of the boss's pervy son. I sighed quietly. Men were all the same. I wouldn't know much though, I couldn't fall in love. Too much hassle, too much pain.

Later…

"Listen for the voice of God then follow it, and know that in time you will find your salvation." Reading. At least this was more interesting. I stared out the window once more from my position in the back of the classroom. He doesn't even know that these kids are completely ignoring him! The idiot.

"Yagami, are you still with us?" A change in speech. I looked back to the room to see the teacher staring at a kid in front of me. Sure, call on the kid who was actually probably paying attention to you. Although, he is the smartest kid in class after me, so he probably wasn't listening either way. I looked back out the window as he continued. "Will you please translate the following sentence into English?" I heard him sigh as he stood and recited the sentence, once more ignoring them as he was complemented.

The day continues as the day before that and the day before that. How tedious. This world is boring to me; it holds no more surprises as Father's realm. That world is rotting, and I have no friends there or here. Oh, Ryuk. At times such as this I wish Mother hadn't ordered you away.

I was tired, and as I looked out the window, something fell. Something shaped oddly like a notebook. My eyes widened as the object landed on the ground. No, it couldn't be! The day couldn't have dragged on any longer.

"Night, may I speak with you?" Damn it!

"Yes, what is it? I really need to get home to do some important work." I knew it was disrespectful to speak to a teacher that way, but I had to get that notebook!

"The Board is still extending that offer for a scholarship to To-Oh University, if you'll accept it. You'd be the youngest to enter the school."

"If I pass the university exams." I smiled, turning on the charm. These people were much too hopeful, and I needed to get outside ASAP.

"I'm sure you will."

"May I go now? I'll think about it and tell you within the week." I walked out before he could answer. Once I hit the hall, I ran. When I reached outside, I ran to the exact spot I saw the notebook land. It wasn't there. Damn it! Damn it all to hell!!! I looked around frantically. Light Yagami was walking away from me; I followed him since he seemed like the most likely candidate.

I kept following him, getting closer with every step until I could see what he was holding. He had a bag, but there was something sticking out. A book, definitely. D-E-A was all I could see of the cover, along with partials of another letter. D-E-A, as in Death? Death Note? It had to be, from the way his face looked. He didn't yet know what it could do, I had to get it. I followed him until we reached a neighborhood and he turned into a house. No! I couldn't lose this chance!

I stood outside his house until he came out for cram school. I sighed as I finally walked home. I automatically checked the traps I set every time I left. None were tripped; no one had been here save me. I turned on the television immediately; no doubt he'd want to test it out. At about 6:30 p.m., he did. Kuro Otoharada, a man holding a school group hostage, died of a heart attack. No doubt about it, Light Yagami had picked himself up a Death Note. Now it was only a matter of time before a shinigami began following him around. The only question in my mind was who. Who would have dropped their Death Note in the human realm like a fool? I could only pray it was the one I wanted. I'd give it a few days, and then check it out again when he or she showed up. Then I'd confront him.

Light Yagami, what are you going to do? What will you become with this power? Only time would tell when I would regret not going to his house and pulling that cursed book from his hands.


	3. Chapter 2

The Darkest Night: Heart of a Shinigami

Chapter 2: Arrival

December 1, 2003

I sighed asI sat down, giving my very sore feet a rest after over six hours on my feet. I switched on the television while I pulled out my homework. The news told more news of deaths in the world's lowest and most renowned criminals. I was really beginning to worry for B. It wouldn't be long before Light got to him. Speaking of Light, he sure was a busy bee; he hadn't wasted a second on finding a purpose for the Note. It had been three days since he'd picked it up, and he'd already set himself up to get rid of the world's lowest and dirtiest criminals. A noble path, certainly, but a childish one none the least. He thought he could make the world better just by killing the bad seeds, the big hero on top; a god in his own eyes. Ridiculous.

I sighed once more as I worked through the seventy-five equations and algorithms. Thankfully, I'd always zipped through homework (I'd graduated college 347 times), and this was a good thing considering the hours of my new waitressing job. What lazy asses, making me do all their tables. Pathetic children, in my eyes. I glanced at the clock; it said 11:38 p.m. Luckily, the more potent my Death God side became, the less sleep and sustenance I needed in my life. I only ate for the taste, and that was mostly desserts and sugary foods. I finished the work within five minutes, switching off the TV and made my way up the staircase, pausing at the top.

I reached up and pulled down the collapsible stair that led up into the attic of my home. I pulled the stairs back up and turned to the large window I'd had put in. While I unlatched it and pushed it open, I smiled softly. I stood there for a moment, letting the crisp night air caress my skin ever so lightly. After standing there for about ten minutes, I climbed onto the sill of the window. Turning my back to the outside air, I gripped the outside of the window, pulling myself up to stand on the roof with little effort. I stood on my roof and let the now faster breeze slide around me. I felt it blow my braid back, making it tap lightly against the backs of my thighs.

I took a deep breath through my nose and let my wings unfurl with a small rustle. As I crouched down, I stared in awe at the latest attachment to my Shinigami form. Fourteen feet from wing tip to wing tip, black as obsidian, a shadow within a shadow. Small veins of deep royal blue and dark violet wound their way erratically across the surface. I moved them with practiced smoothness, positioning them above my head as I'd seen Ryuk do many times before he took to flight. The down draft as I beat them up and down methodically had my braid whipping around again. I grinned as I took to the star filled sky, laughing in utter glee, forgetting all of the problems that anchored me to the ground, even if it was just for now.

December 3, 2003

It was early evening when I felt it; an entering, a Death God. I closed the novel I'd been reading, staring blankly at the wall as I pulled forth my darker half and concentrated fiercely. The nagging sensation at the back of my brain was still strong and very distracting, meaning the new arrival was indeed very new to this world, and very close. Whoever it was. I sharpened my focus, trying to get an identity on the long awaited arrival. I grew frustrated as I continued to fail at accessing the identity of my distant relative.

"Damn. Still not strong enough." I sighed. I opened the thick novel once more as I spoke to myself, a still remaining habit from my childhood. "Oh well, I'll see Yagami tomorrow. That's when I'll see who's following him." I smiled coyly as I sand back into my book, finally retiring to bed at 1:30 a.m.

December 4, 2009

I sat tense in my seat, wired as I waited for Light Yagami to walk through the door. When he did, I felt my heart leap triumphantly as I saw he was not alone. A big guy, and familiar. I smiled secretively as I did a once over of the goofy, forever smiling face, bluish skin with its spiky hair and one earring. He hadn't changed at all in the past 2,000 years. I could barely contain my excitement, or amused giggles, as he crawled around the room. Class rooms bored his childish mind, as they always would. I didn't even pay attention to the teacher as Light Yagami stood and quoted something in English, was complemented. Without seeing him, I knew he was writing in the Death Note. Ryuk probably hadn't told him that anyone who touched it would be able to see him. While the teacher was turned, I reached down and pulled an apple from my bag, shoving it under my desk with my foot as he floated down the aisle toward me. I heard him sniff and crouch beneath my chair.

"Ooooh!" He squealed joyfully as he discovered the scarlet fruit, followed by a slight crunch as he devoured it in one bite. He looked rather happy as he straightened up and stared at me. A small, happy smile was on my face, my left hand rested beneath my chin as my right twirled my pencil. As I felt his huge eyes continue to bore into me, I glanced over almost imperceptibly. His eternal grin was thoughtful; I was almost surprised I remembered his strange facial expressions. He really was smarter than he let on; he was really wondering what an apple, his favorite food from this realm, was doing under my desk in the first place.

Of course, with his ADD mind, he shrugged it off and started crawling all over the room again. I spent the rest of school staring at my old and unaware friend. At the bell, I saw him stretch and speak to Light.

"I thought it'd never end. How do you do this every day? It's so boring here! Hey, where you goin'?" I started to follow closely as Light began to walk from the room.

"Night!" I turned to the man, and answered his unspoken question.

"Yes. I'll accept the scholarship to To-Oh University. Now, if you'd excuse me I really need to get to work before I'm late." I turned and left before he could even get a word in. once more, I followed silently behind Light Yagami. I got just close enough to be able to hear the conversation between Light and Ryuk.

"Hey, Light! Are you listening to me?" Ryuk asked, slightly annoyed.

"Don't talk to me! Unlike you, people can still hear me when I'm talking out loud." Light retorted.

"Heh," Ryuk sniffed. "Well aren't you boring."

When Light's friends called over and asked to hang out, Light declined, saying he was busy.

"You don't have anything to do. Aren't you just gonna go home and hang out in your room, as usual?" Ryuk asked.

"What are you talking about? Of course I have something to do. Yes, something very important." Light sounded slightly demented to my ears; he was already losing it. I chose this moment to seize this pass to my friend.

"Light! Light Yagami!" I called. I felt my braid hit my legs as I jogged to catch up with him. He stopped and turned, staring at me uncertainly.

"Yes?" he responded when I reached him, blinking innocently. What a wonderful actor he was.

"Could you help me with the math work we went over today?" I asked innocently. He acted properly confused.

"But why would you even need help? I know you're the smartest person in practically the whole school."

"Just above you, yes. I just want to be sure I have the concept of it right." I smiled, making my eyes big and innocent. He regarded me for a moment, considering how much this would affect his plans for the day.

"All right," he nodded. "We might as well head to my house, unless yours is closer."

"Well, your mother and sister will be expecting you home."

"Okay. My house it is." I smiled to myself as my back slouched and my hands went into my pockets. It seems that young man had made a greater impression on me than I'd know at the time.

"Hey, how did you know my mom and sister were expecting me home?" Light asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I'm in practice to be a police private investigator, maybe even a detective. If I couldn't find info on my classmates," I shrugged. "I figured I wouldn't be a very good PI."

"Won't someone be expecting _you _home?" he questioned me as we got closer to his place of residence. I shrugged again before answering his new question.

"No. I have no family. My dad left years ago, and my mom died when I was seven. I've been taking care of myself ever since."

"I'm sorry." he sympathized.

"I don't want any pity, Mr. Yagami." We were silent the rest of the walk. I glanced at my watch, seeing I had at least three hours before I had to attend the ICPO meeting. Good, I had time.

I stayed quiet as he introduced me to his mother and sister, then led me up the stairs to his room. He opened the door to the room, holding it open while I went in first. What a gentleman.

"Thank you." I nodded as I strode into the room, surveying it. The walls were bare; he had lots of books, a bed, desk and computer, a normal teen's room. I turned and watched him as he made his way to the desk and sat down.

"So, what do you need help with?" he asked, giving me a pleasant smile. I gave him an amused smirk, and then walked to his door.

"For one," I began as I turned the lock on the knob. "I have no problems in math, or any other subject. As you said, I'm the smartest in the school. Smarter than you, smarter by far than those stupid teachers practically begging me to accept those scholarships. Obviously, I'm not here to discuss equations and numbers with you." I turned to stare at Light, who was confused and now uneasy. "As a matter of fact, I didn't come to speak with you at all." I moved my eyes to stare directly at Ryuk, who was lying on his side on Light's bed. "I came to have a chat with Ryuk." Ryuk's eyes widened as I turned to him.

"Huh? How do you know me?" he asked. I laughed quietly and shook my head.

"You're still the same. Shouldn't you be asking how I can even see you?" He opened his mouth to respond, stopped, then tried again.

"Oh, uh… heh heh. You're right." He froze and jumped up from the bed, pointing a sharp finger at me. "How _can _you see me?!" any other time, I would've just laughed ruefully, but I was completely serious as I stepped forward so I was less than a foot from him. I looked up at his uneasy smile, staring at him hard. Then I spoke in a quiet, fierce voice.

"Take a good, long look at me Ryuk. At the name and date above my head. See if that memory serves you well." I glared at him as he intently examined the letters and numbers above my head as they rearranged themselves. I saw his already wide eyes get impossibly bigger in unmistakable fear, and he took a few steps back.

"Oh no!" he yelped, jumping back and extending his wings to fly through the wall. I leaped forward like a lightning bolt, grabbing his ankle and using brute strength to bring him to the ground.

"Don't even think about it!" I climbed onto his back, keeping him on the ground by sitting right between his shoulder blades and holding his dark wings down with my legs. I pushed my dark bangs out of my face and reached for my bag, which had fallen off during my leap. I reached into it and pulled down the sides, revealing a bag of big, ripe, dark red apples. Ryuk froze at the sight, turning his head slowly to stare at me.

"You want 'em? You listen to what I have to say. Deal?" he looked from me to the bag and, to make my point, I pulled the biggest fruit from the sack. I waved the dark crimson fruit in front of his nose, pulling it back when he opened his mouth to swallow it down.

"Deal?" I repeated. Ryuk gave on last, longing stare at the apple, then back to me with a reluctant resignation.

"Deal."


	4. Chapter 3

The Darkest Night: Heart of a Shinigami

Chapter 3: Memories of Nights Passed

December 4, 2003

I smiled with self satisfaction as I shoved the apple into Ryuk's mouth and stood, removing my weight from his back.

"Good. Now then," I reached down and picked up the medium size sack of apples before Ryuk could even think of making the grab.

"Ah!" Ryuk gasped and whined. "That's not fair, Night! The old man back home is sure to be furious when he finds out I'm even within six hundred miles of you! You owe me those apples either way!" He hopped up and made a lunge for the bag, quick enough for a shinigami of his size, but my reflexes were faster still.

"No!" I snapped, like I was yelling at a misbehaving puppy. I held the arm holding the sack of fruit as far away from him as possible, lifting my leg and placing my foot against his chest in an effort to ward off his long limbs. I felt myself quickly growing off-balance as Ryuk struggled to get to the small sack of apples by pushing against my leg. In the effort to retain my footing, I whipped out my wings and steadied myself. Ryuk's red eyes widened as they lit upon the new almost heavily feathered growths.

"Woah. Where did those dark beauties come from?" he asked in his usual manner, making me blush. I glanced back and rubbed the tips of the fingers on my free hand over the silken surface. I lowered my leg and smiled very slightly as I continued caressing the ebony surface of my wings, so much like Ryuk's.

"They're the latest addition, delivered by Rem almost five hundred years ago." I turned my eyes back to Ryuk to glare softly with hurt eyes. "You would've seen them when I got them, even helped me learn how to use them. But you never came, Ryuk." Ryuk looked at the ground and fidgeted nervously under my gaze.

"Well, uh… I couldn't help it, see? I tried to sneak off when she came through to you, but the Old Man stopped me every time. This is the first time I've come back to the human realm since the old hag ordered me away." I instinctively flinched away from any mention of my mother, no matter how demeaning the comment. I stared at the floor as I felt his lie and unwanted memories of my long-dead mother resurfaced before I pushed them back to the farthest and darkest recesses of my mind. Insistent tears burned in my eyes. Stupid memory.

"Liar." I whispered around the knot in my throat as I took deep breath to steady myself and calm my emotions.

"Heh? I don't know what you're talking about." I glared at him from the corners of my slowly drying eyes.

"You came back only a few years ago. I saw you, but you didn't see me. You can't tell me you forgot. Speaking of, how did you get another Note from Dad?" I gestured to the one he had strapped to his side, and glanced at the one that was inside Light's bag.

"I asked for it. To be honest, I don't know. I think it had something to do with staying away from you, though. 'If I give this to you, don't go near her,' or something like that." I studied him through narrowed eyes, knowing he was avoiding the true meaning of the question.

"That one by your side may belong to you, but what about the one in Light's school bag? I can tell it isn't completely yours because it doesn't have your essence clearly embedded on it." Studiously ignoring Light's protests, I reached into his bag and pulled out the notebook, not very well hidden, inside. I held it up to examine the surface, then closing my eyes and holding it closer, mentally analyzing the essence and unique encryptions of the book that specified a shinigami's note as their own. I opened my eyes and clucked my tongue at Ryuk, laying the Death Note on Light's desk.

"Shame on you, Ryuk. There is a slight rubbing off of your essence on the note, but the true owner's encryption can never be replaced unless he gave it to you. This note still truly belongs to the Shinigami Sidoh. You stole it! I didn't think you would ever sink so low as to steal someone else's Death Note! We all have the same bond with our Notes, and it's special!" As I spoke, I touched the very small, pocket-sized notebook that was my own note. "How could you ever steal someone else's?!"

"Well, he didn't object and I needed one! I went up to the King and told him it was mine and he didn't say anything against it. So I walked away. That's all." He defended himself meekly. I sighed heavily and pressed the thumb and forefinger of my free hand to my temples. It was like speaking to a child.

"That doesn't mean you have a pass to just take one and keep it. You've obviously got your mind set on this, so I won't take it or discipline you." I removed my hand from my face. "But if and when he comes to claim his note from you, you will hand it over. Understood?" Ryuk shrugged, still staring at the apples in my hand. I tightened my grip on the bag, unwillingly losing my temper.

"Ryuk!" I snapped, my voice changing as my other side emerged with my shift in emotions. Ryuk trembled and crouched as I grew taller and my braid whipped around wildly without the aid of any wind. "Am I understood?" I asked again, in a more menacing tone.

"Yes, yes. Of course!" he answered quickly in a small voice. I got a grip back on my emotions and gradually returned to normal, automatically filled with regret for my actions.

"I'm sorry, Ryuk. I didn't mean to snap and scare you like that. It's just," I reached up and touched the incomplete necklace chained permanently around my neck through the fabric of my shirt. "It's just that, as the days go on… she's getting stronger. And when I don't keep check of my emotions, well… she will come out and scare people. Even when I don't want her to. Here." I tossed another apple to him as a way of finalizing my apology. He gulped the fruit down in one quick bite, taking a step over to put a long and surprisingly gentle arm around my shoulders.

"Aw, it's okay, Night. It can't be easy. I won't hold it against you."

"Thanks." I sniffed, wiping away guilt-driven tears and winding my arm around my old friend to hug him. "I missed that blunt attitude of yours."

"I missed you too." Ryuk stepped away.

"Yeah, right. You probably just missed these." I held up the brown cloth bag filled with apples.

"You're right. But I did miss your company. It's so boring over there in that rotting realm." I smirked, reaching into the bag and biting into an apple before tossing it to Ryuk. He stared at it a moment before shrugging and eating it as well.

"So, what all's happened? A few years ago I felt one leave the realm, ceasing to exist. They've stopped writing in their notes?" I walked over to lounge on Light's bed as Ryuk thought.

"I think it was Aeron. He stopped writing in his note for some unknown reason. His life span ran out not long after." I sighed and closed my eyes in respect of Aeron. He'd been one of the oldest, and I'd met him a few times. He kept to himself a lot and was generally very nice. I guessed he'd grown bored of living.

"You were wise. I hope you find happiness wherever you are now Aeron." I murmured to myself.

"Huh?" Ryuk asked in response of my spoken thought.

"Nothing. What about Rem?" I asked to get off the topic, handing him an apple to make him go on.

"Not sure, but last I saw of her, she was still in the Shinigami Realm." He answered as he demolished the small fruit. I nodded.

"She'll be coming soon." I stated to no one in particular. "That day is drawing near." My hand found my necklace again as I handed the mostly full bag of apples to Ryuk. As he gulped them down and I immersed myself in dark thoughts, Light spoke.

"Who exactly are you, anyway? How do you know Ryuk, and how can you see him?" he asked in an irritated voice. So, he was mad because he couldn't understand what was going on.

"I am who I say I am; Night River. Well, drop the River part, it's an alias." I hoped N wouldn't be upset with my usage of his last name. "And as to how I know and see him, it's too complicated of a story for you to comprehend, and that's not even considering the length." When I said this, he grew angry and walked to stand in front of me.

"I'm smart enough, and you can summarize. So try, or I'll make you leave my house and never come back." he threatened. I couldn't stop the small bark of laughter that escaped my lips.

"You'll _make _me leave? Please. You could try, but you greatly underestimate my level of influence. If you keep me from Ryuk, let's just say that it wouldn't be too good for you if you had a sudden accidental, possibly fatal accident." I smirked as a line of fear showed through his eyes before he regained his previous composure. "But sure, I'll tell the story. I'll just greatly summarize it and try to make it as easy to understand as possible. Just don't ask me to repeat anything, I'm telling this one time." I glanced at Ryuk, steadily working his way through the sack of apples. I looked back to Light and gestured to his chair. "I'd make yourself comfortable, Lighto. It's still a long story, even summarized." Light calmly made his way back to his seat, muttering crossly about my name usage on him. When he was sitting, he nodded at me to start.

"Okay, you know that Ryuk is here, but he came from the Shinigami Realm. Like everything else, he didn't just pop out of nothing. All shinigami are spawned directly from the Shinigami King himself. He creates them, molding them and breathing life into them, but he can also destroy them if he so chooses. His eyes also see more than any other regular shinigami's, and he looks much more human than his creations, for he used to be human himself.

"He has a special portal that allows him to see into the world of the Living. As he was looking through this portal one ordinary day, he saw a woman. She wasn't rich or more special than any other woman in the world, but she was beautiful beyond the King's imagination. She had long, flowing ebony hair that fell to her waist like a waterfall of onyx. Her eyes swallowed him up in their bright blue depths; her skin was pale and smooth, lighting desires he hadn't experienced before hidden deep within his long sleeping human soul.

"He went, for the first time in thousands of years, to the world of humans. He joined the many men who courted her for her great beauty, but was turned away just as the others. He continued for a time, all the while hiding his true form. Finally, he was chosen and they were wed. not long after, he had to go back to his realm for his duties, but not before revealing his true form to her. She did not scream, for she had grown to love him. Not long after he left, she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The boy was stillborn, but the girl was strong and healthy, so she grew.

"While the girl did grow, she also knew she was completely different from any other person. She could see things that no one else could, predicting death while being correct every single time. For this, she was an outcast, alone in the world. Misunderstood even by her own mother. That is, until the day a new friend showed up. He was unexpected, only seen by the girl and obviously not human. When she asked of his name, he called himself the Shinigami Ryuk. Of course the girl found it hard to believe, and turned to her mother for answers. She learned of her past that day, why she could see death and the reason behind the Shinigami Ryuk's visit. When he next came, he brought with him a small notebook with a writing utensil, just for her. He explained that it was a Death Note, and that all shinigami had their own, before carefully explain each and every rule on the inside cover.

"The few years after that were the best of the girl's life as she played with the Death God every day. They went apple picking every spring and summer, enjoying their time together and the shared company. Then, one day, he said that they were going somewhere new to play. She went to tell her mother, but the Shinigami stopped her. He knew that her mother would greatly disapprove if she knew where they were going. So the girl went with him to the Realm of the Shinigami, where she was taken before the Shinigami King, her father. He gave her a necklace that was but a mere chain at that moment, and fastened it around her neck. He explained the chain would not come off of her neck, and that when the charm on it was completed, she would be a shinigami. The King then told her to hold out her hand, placing a small flat stone in the very center of her small palm. She was calm, at least until the stone grew legs like a spider and started burrowing painfully into her skin.

"Ryuk put a hand over her mouth and spoke calming words to her as the king explained what the stone was for. It had been constructed with her especially in mind. It could recognize her essence, and when it came in contact with her skin, it would grow legs and burrow through until it got into the bloodstream and reached her heart. There, it would grow fangs and inject a specific amount of Shinigami Essence into her heart, where it would be pumped all throughout her body. As he explained this, it happened, and the agonizing pain that followed after was more than her young body could take, so she fainted. When she awoke, she found herself covered in blood, blood that she had vomited up, and in the arms of the Shinigami King. He was cleaning the blood from her face, and he lifted up the new charm now attached to her necklace. It was the sapphire blue head of a God of Death. She held it, and he explained that a new shinigami would come and bring her these pieces over an amount of time. Soon after, she left with Ryuk.

"What happened only a mere month after would dramatically change her life forever. We all know kids are cruel, even back then they were. They were making fun of the girl, and she lost her temper. She whipped out her note and wrote his name inside, a mistake she didn't realize until he fell. She ran, scared and ashamed by what she'd done. Ryuk left and went before the King once more, returning quickly with an object of power that she would have to return. Ryuk gave her a special eraser that brought back to life anyone whose name was written in the note and killed by its power, but only if they hadn't been buried yet. She quickly erased the boy's name and he came back to life, and she thought it was all over. But the girl's mother blamed all that had happened on the influence of the shinigami. She ordered him away, telling him to never come near her daughter ever again. He left, and the girl never once saw him again. Although she understood that her mother had done this with her best interests in mind, the girl hated her mother for sending away her one and only friend, the only person who ever understood her. Then, over the course of the years, the girl grew into an independent woman who never married, her mother died, and her charm slowly came together until only one piece remained. Then her friend returned to the human world, along with a new user of the Death Note. The end." I leaned back and changed positions so that my head was hanging off the end of the bad and I was staring at Light upside down. He only stared at me, examining me while letting the tale sink in.

"How long did it take for all the pieces to get together? Of the necklace, I mean." he asked.

"Well, I got the first piece when I was around ten years old, then I got the next three pieces over the course of around fifteen hundred years. I get a new piece every five hundred years, and I get the last piece sometime next year. As you said, you're smart enough, so you can do the math." It didn't take long for him to add up the years in his head, and he looked at me skeptically.

"You don't look all that old." he scoffed.

"That's because I can control how I age, but I don't really feel like showing proof to the likes of you just yet. Any other questions?" I answered casually in a bored voice, glancing at my watch. I had an hour and a half before the ICPO meeting. I needed to leave soon because it'd take me around 15 minutes to use the portal to arrive on time.

"Just two more. First, I know you've lied to me at least once today." he started off.

"What do you mean?" I asked, impressed at his deduction.

"Well, you said you got the first charm when you were ten, and your mom ordered Ryuk away about a month later. But earlier today, you said your mom died when you were seven. So which is it?" I raised my eyebrows and smiled coyly.

"Very impressive. And, of course, my mother didn't die when I was seven. If I told the people on the school board that my mother died when I was eighteen, do you think they'd believe me? I'm trying to pass myself off as an exceptionally smart sixteen year old, Light. Think. What's your final question?" Light glared at me for a second before continuing.

"Yeah. Can I see the necklace?" He leaned forward and stared at me with genuine curiosity. I sat up and turned in one swift movement, pulling the necklace out of my shirt with practiced smoothness. The charm was around the size of my hand, made entirely of dark silver and gemstones. Light came closer to examine it, reaching out to take it from me and getting a firm slap on the hand.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" he snapped. I glared at him, holding the necklace protectively to myself before showing it to him again and replying..

"No touching. You can look, but you cannot touch this charm. It's extremely important to me, and I can't let anything happen to it." I looked back to the nearly complete charm, realizing quite suddenly that it looked very much like a silhouette of Ryuk. Interesting.

"Are all the gems real?" Light asked, breaking his word that he'd asked his last question, but I answered anyway.

"Yes." I ran over every single detail of the beautiful jewels, as I'd spent countless hours doing before now. The head was made of brilliant blue sapphire, the same shade as my eyes and natural streaks of blue in my black hair. The torso was of dark purple amethyst, the color of the second set of natural streaks in my hair. The long arms were blood red garnet, the color of my slit pupiled left eye when I was in my shinigami form. The wings, onyx of the deepest black, the same as my real wings. The only missing attribute were the legs, which I assumed would be cat's eye yellow, the same shade as my right eye when I was in shinigami form. I sighed lightly as I realized exactly how off topic I'd gotten over the past hour or so. I gently slipped the charm back inside my shirt and turned to Ryuk with a solemn look.

"Ryuk, I need to be serious here." I told him quietly.

"Eh? Okay." He sounded slightly nervous. I took a deep breath, and began.


End file.
